


When The World Is Ash

by toesohnoes



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-13
Updated: 2011-11-13
Packaged: 2017-10-26 00:39:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/276643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toesohnoes/pseuds/toesohnoes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world is already destroyed, but Tony can't stop fighting. He turns to Steve for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When The World Is Ash

**Author's Note:**

> Written at my [Tumblr](http://toestastegood-fic.tumblr.com/post/12607618706/what-happened-to-you-tony-snaps-but-he-regrets).

“What happened to you?” Tony snaps, but he regrets the question as soon as it is out of his mouth.

The world outside is burning around them; they have watched their friends fall and they’ve been unable to do anything about it.

Tony _knows_ what happened to Steve.

That doesn’t mean he can stand to see it.

Steve meets his gaze without wavering, even while the weight of his gaze is enough to make Tony want to flee. “Don’t,” Steve says. “I’m doing all I can.”

“You’re doing nothing.” Tony stalks forward, holding onto control only through willpower alone. “You used to be a hero. What are you now?”

“Look around you. There’s no use for heroes here.”

Tony doesn’t want to look; there’s nothing left that he wants to see. You can’t be a hero if there’s nothing left to save. They lost that battle a long time ago – sometimes, it seems like Tony is the only one left fighting.

“Cap, please,” he grits out, even if it makes him feel like his jaw is aching. “I need your help.”

He feels like an asshole for saying it, because he knows what those words will do to Steve – he knows that there is no way that Steve will be able to turn his back on him and leave him on his own. Tony was always the selfish one, not Steve.

So when he sees Steve’s shoulders slump, he knows that he’s won. That doesn’t mean he feels good about it.

“What can I do?” Steve asks.

He feels like he’s taking advantage, but that isn’t enough to make him back away. More than Steve’s help, Tony needs his company – because the world is dead or dying, and there’s so little left. Broken or not, defeated or not, Steve is still Steve. There’s no one else Tony would rather have at his back.


End file.
